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Join with local foundations to support Puerto Rico's Recovery

To provide immediate emergency relief to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Heinz Endowments have partnered in making $50,000 grants each to the Puerto Rico Community Recovery Fund at the Puerto Rico Community Foundation.

The Puerto Rico Community Recovery Fund has been a longstanding account at the foundation to provide aid after natural disasters. It was reactivated following Hurricane Irma, which skirted the island last month. But now it’s a critically important aid source in helping residents recover from damage inflicted by Maria, which hit the island head on at Category 5 strength.

Large areas of the U.S. territory have been without power for two weeks while food and potable water remain scarce. At least 8,800 people remain in shelters. Depleted fuel supplies hamper generator operation and transportation on the island. Early estimates of the cost of recovery approach $30 billion.

Our two foundations are coming together in this effort to support the Puerto Rico Community Foundation. The community foundation is structured to take public donations and channel the funds to the organizations on the ground. We hope our grants convince you to give to the Community Recovery Fund with confidence and trust.

More than a dozen community foundations and private, independent foundations across the country have provided emergency grants to the Recovery Fund. We ask that you join us and help our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico by donating to the Puerto Rico Community Foundation's Recovery Fund.

-- Maxwell King, President and CEO of The Pittsburgh Foundation-- Grant Oliphant, President and CEO of The Heinz Endowments

Editor's Note: As of Nov. 2, 2017, The Pittsburgh Foundation and its generous donors have made 24 grant recommendations totaling $122,300 for Hurricane Maria support. Of this, $117,300 (96 percent) went to the Puerto Rico Community Foundation to support long-term recovery efforts by the nonprofit community in Puerto Rico. This total does not include the $50,000 donation from The Heinz Endowments.